Track and roller game



Dec. 5, 1961 w. R. IRWIN 3,011,788

TRACK AND ROLLER GAME Filed Feb. 10, 1959' FIG.2 FIG.3

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent Oiiice 3,011,788 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 3,011,788 TRACK AND ROLLER GAME William R. Irwin, 1034 Tifi'any St., Bronx, N.Y. Filed Feb. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 792,386 Claims. (Cl. 273-96) This invention relates to a toy in the form of a gamestick with a rolling device for use thereon and therewith. This application is a continuation-in-part of Serial No. 455,533, filed September 13, 1954, now United States Patent No. 2,886,323.

The present invention relates to a novel form of amusement device for children or adults, which may be manufactured inexpensively from various materials such as wood, plastic, wire or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a device that gives interest and amusement both from the point of view of the fortuitous results obtained and from a standpoint of skill developed.

Another object is to provide a device wherewith the use of which may lead to the development of visual and muscular coordination for the player.

A further object is to provide a device in the use of which people may become skilled and thereby establish a basis for fiiendly competition between two or more persons.

The invention will be better understood by having reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a gamestick having mounted thereon a rolling device,

FIG. 2 is a. side elevation of a rolling device,

FIG. 3 is another view of the rolling device shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the gamestick of FIG. 1 with the rolling device of FIGS. 2 and 3 shown in position thereon.

FIG. 5 is another plan view of the gamestick of FIG. 1 with the said rolling device of FIGS. 2 and 3 shown in a difierent position thereon.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another gamestick which differs in various respects from the gamestick of FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 shows a rolling device suitable for use with the gamestick of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows a gamestick, partially cut away, having mounted thereon a rolling device suited to the shape of said gamestick.

FIG. 9 shows a gamestick, differing from the gamesticks of FIGS. 1, 4, 5, 6 and 8, having mounted thereon a rolling device adapted to its pecularities.

FIG. 10 is an elevation of the rolling device already shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows the rolling device of FIG. 9 and 10 in conjunction with the gamestick, partially cut away, and previously illustrated in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 shows the same devices, or portions thereof, illustrated in FIG. 11. The purpose of the variance between the views of FIGS. 11 and 12 will be explained in later paragraphs.

FIG. 13 shows the gamestick of FIG. 8, again partially cut away, and the rolling device already illustrated in FIG. 8, the rolling device in this instance being in a different position upon said gamestick.

FIG. 14 shows a scroll-like curve, applicable to a gamestick such as is shown in FIG. 6, the eye portion however, not being formed by a continuous curve as with the device of FIG. 6, but having rather, a slight elevation c which tends to keep the shaft of a rolling device confined within the eye while said rolling device is spinning or,

rotating, its Weight being borne upon said shaft.

The rolling device, FIGS. 2 and 3 is a disc having a groove 11 which provides sutficient riding or traction surface to enable the said disc to roll easily on the rounded surfaces of the gamestick as is illustrated in FIG. 4. Great variation is possible with respect to the amount of traction inherent in the contact surfaces of the rolling device and gamestick according to the exact shape of each, and, to a lesser extent, according to the degree to which they are polished. Also, the elongated portion of the gamestick may be bent or curved while still allowing the roller to track thereon.

A hole 12, is cut through the disc to enable it to be caught upon the knob 10 of the gamestick. It might be well to mention that the hole 12 could be cut in various sizes with respect to the same knob, thereby increasing or lessening the amount of skill or luck required for successful effort in achieving the desired result of the game.

It might also be mentioned that the knob, 10, could be positioned at many different angles at the terminus of the gamestick. However, for purposes of the present embodiment the angle shown is deemed to be satisfactory for an understanding of the invention.

A curve 13, is provided at the end of the gamestick shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 upon which the disc may be caused to roll and from which it maybe returned to the straight portion of the said gamestick at the discretion of the player. This feature is not essential to the invention but is incorporated to widen the scope of the play.

In the play of the game; the stick is held in a general horizontal position as is indicated in FIG. 1. The exact position in which the stick is maneuverable, is however, a matter of the degree of skill of the player. The principle that is involved in the play is that as many diflferent positions, apart from the easiest and most orthodox, are to be used, indicating thereby, the players skill with the gamestick and rolling device.

As the stick is tilted back and forth, the rolling device will usually track thereon according to the effects of gravity and centrifugal force except to the extent that the adroitness of the player in manipulating the stick and thereby causing the rolling device to spin in place thereon, to move upwardly against gravity rather than in a downward direction and to perform other functions that would appear to be unexpected to the novice, takes effect.

As the gamestick is moved with the hand to cause the disc to roll thereon, first in one direction, then in the other, then to be set spinning upon one of the surfaces of the stick, the gamestick may be given an almost imperceptible movement by the hand and wrist which will cause the disc to ascend into the air from one portion of the gamestick and, descending, again regain a position either at the same place upon the stick or at another place thereon.

At such a moment it is well within the bounds of probability that the stick may be maneuvered in such a way that the knob part it? may be caused to enter through the hole 12 of the disc.

The gamestick in FIG. 6 is roughly similar in playing principle to that of FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

The shafted disc of FIG. 7 has certain differences from the other rolling devices mentioned which make it adaptable for use with the gamestick of FIG. 6. The disc has a groove 13 around its periphery to enable it to roll effectively upon the straight portion 17 which in the present instance is of round cross section b. It might be mentioned that a stick with a concave longitudinal section might be used rather than one of convex or round crossamass 3 the disc when the rolling device is supported by the curved :arms 16 of the gamestick of FIG. 6.

The straight portion 17 of the gamestick illustrated in FIG. 6 is made from rounded metal rod and is welded 10 the yoke portion of the stick at aj In the play, the groove of the disc, 1 16. 7, is placed upon the said rounded, straight portion 17 of the game stick. The gamestick may be tilted in various directions causing the disc to roll back and forth upon the said straight portion, to spin thereon, or to leave the game stick, and descending, to be caught on the gamestick again, according to the ability of the player.

The gamestick is held at b and after the player has sufiicient control of the disc upon the stick the disc may be rolled toward the yoke portion 16 of the game: stick until it drops into the space 18 between the arms bf :said yoke. The shaft 14 then bears the weight of the rolling deviceas it is rolled upon the curved arms 16 of *the yoke, the shaft being continued in its movement until the shaft ends enter into the eye portions 19 whereon the disc may come to rest therein or be continued in :spinning motion, the shaft resting momentarily uponthe :surfaces of the said eyes.

At this point it devolves upon the players skill, dexaterity and adroitness to cause the shafted roller to regain itrackage upon the straight rod portion 17 of the game- :stick or to maintain it in spinning motion within the :abovementioned eyes.

A gamestick having certain similarities but also well defined differences to the gamestick illustrated in FIG-S. 1, 4 and 5 is shown in FIG. 8. Situated in position upon the elongated portion20 of the last said stick is a star shaped missile 21. The star is, in effect, a gear, and the flutes of the star meshwith the teeth 22 formed upon the gamesticks superior surface.

The star is caused to move upon the stick through rna- :nipulation by the player handling same. The gamestick, after the fashion already described for using gamestieks illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6, may be given a flipping motion by the players hand, causing the star to leave the stick, whereupon it becomes possible for the player to attempt to hook the knob 23 of the stick into the hole 24 of the starwheel. A successful endeavor bringsabout -:the result shown in FIG. 13.

The rolling device in FIG. 10, is further illustrated in FIGS. 9, 11 and 12 in conjunction with another variation of the gamestick. This rolling device also has a groove 25 which is attuned for traction purposes with the elongated portion 31 of the gamestick, made from half-round stock.

ignated at 32. It might be mentioned that a full-round stock would serve about as well as does the half round.

As with the other combinations of gamesticks' and rolling devices, the rolling device FIG. 9, is balanced and rolled back and forth upon the stick until such time as the player decides to try' to hook the knob 29 of thestick directly through. the terminal rounded hole 28 or" the a rolling device or through the beginning of the slot 27.

The hooking of the beginning of the slot 27 of the rolling device, by the knob 29 of the gamestick, is illustrated in FIG. 11. The penetration of the knob directly into the rounded terminus 28 of the slot, is shown in FIG. 12.

The hooking of the rolling device by the knob of the gamestick may be accomplished in various ways by the luck or skill of the player. H s

The rolling device, F165. 9 to 12, may befiip'ped off the gamestick by a slight wrist motion, the player thenat tempting to maneuver the stick so that the knob 29 either engages the rolling device at the beginning of the slot, the rolling device descending downwardly in the air onto the knob, or the player moving the stick so that it goes in a sideward direction towards the missile aloft in the air, so that the knob 29 penetrates the rolling device either directly at the rounded terminus 28 or at another point in the slot 27.

Other variations of movement are possible with the various combinations of gamesticks and rolling devices but a description of these would appear to be redundant and unnecessary insofar as the scope of the invention is concerned, the qualities of the invention lying within the scope of the appended claims.

Now, having described and illustrated invention, I claim.

1. A toy comprising a game-stickand a rolling device therefor, said game-stick including an elongated single rail track portion, an intermediate portion terminating said elongated portion and a knob portion carried by said intermediate portion, said rolling device having a rolling surface engagable with said track portion for rolling movement therealong by manual manipulation of said ganie stick, said knob portion extending outwardly from said intermediate portion at an angle to the line of travel of said rolling device on said track and said rolling device having an aperture therethrough large enough to receive said knob portion, whereby said rolling device may be displaced from said track and caught on said knob portlon.

2. A toy as defined in claim lin which said intermediate portion is curved upwardly to form a continuation of said track portion.

3. A toy as defined in claim 1 in which said track and rolling device have interengaging convex and concave faces.

4. A toy as defined in claim 1 in which said track has a series of teeth therealong and said rolling device has peripheral teeth meshable therewith.

5. A toy as defined in claim 1 in which said rolling device comprises a disk and in which said aperture Q01).

prises a slot ektending from the periphery of said disk in a curved path towards the center thereof.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Canada Oct. 17,1950 

